Fitting a new cassette onto your bike's rear wheel involves a few key steps, often following the removal of the old one. Based on the provided reference, here's how you typically fit a cassette as part of a replacement process.
While the reference lists steps that include both removal and fitting, the core process of fitting the new cassette begins after the old one is off. The reference outlines the following sequence:
Getting Started
Before you begin, you'll likely need a few tools, although the reference specifically mentions the chain whip and the implied lockring tool (needed for steps 3, 6, and 7). A torque wrench is also crucial for the final step.
The process described in the reference starts with steps related to removal, then moves to fitting:
- Shift into the smallest cog on the cassette. This initial step prepares the drivetrain, likely making subsequent removal steps easier or preventing chain tension issues.
- A chain whip must be used to hold the cassette in place. This tool is essential for preventing the cassette from spinning while you loosen the lockring during removal.
- Remove the lockring from the cassette. Using a cassette lockring tool and the chain whip, you can unscrew and remove the ring that holds the cogs onto the freehub body. This allows the old cassette to be removed.
Fitting the New Cassette
Once the old cassette is removed, you prepare the freehub and install the new one:
- Grease the freehub body very, very lightly. Applying a thin layer of grease helps prevent the cassette cogs from binding onto the freehub body over time and can make future removal easier.
- Slide the new cassette into place. Align the spline pattern inside the cassette cogs with the matching pattern on the freehub body. There is one wider spline on both the cassette and the freehub, which ensures the cogs are installed in the correct orientation and order. Slide the entire cassette assembly onto the freehub.
- Lightly tighten the lockring in place. Thread the new lockring onto the freehub body by hand until it's finger-tight. This holds the cassette cogs together and seated on the freehub.
- Tighten to manufacturer's specs. Using a cassette lockring tool and a torque wrench, tighten the lockring to the specific torque value recommended by the manufacturer. This is typically printed on the lockring itself or found in the component's documentation and is crucial for safe and proper function.
Following these steps ensures your new cassette is securely fitted and ready for riding.
